


Letting the Little Side Free

by nothingbutadreamer



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - BDSM, Angst, Diapers, Dom/sub, Dominant!Tyler, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Hurt/Comfort, Littles Are Known, Pacifiers, Slow Burn, dominant!Bonnie, dominant!Caroline, dominant!Elena, dominant!Stefan, little!Damon, neutral!Matt, submissive!Damon, submissive!Jeremy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-12 14:42:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28887033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nothingbutadreamer/pseuds/nothingbutadreamer
Summary: In an AU universe where Dominants and Submissives exist, everybody assumes Damon is a Dominant. With his domineering attitude and indescribable allure, a Neutral or Submissive classification wouldn't make sense. Neither would fit Damon's personality except one does and it's Damon's greatest shame.When Stefan finds out his older brother is in fact a Little, he does everything in his Caregiver power to help fix the pain the past century has caused Damon. It's a long journey but they have nothing but time and friends to help along the way to create a universe where Damon can finally let his Little side be free.
Relationships: Bonnie Bennett/Jeremy Gilbert, Caroline Forbes/Tyler Lockwood, Damon Salvatore & Stefan Salvatore
Comments: 20
Kudos: 48





	1. Chapter 1

"All I can say is thank God that monster is gone," Caroline said placing her head on Tyler's shoulders intertwining her hand with his. "And that Tyler is no longer being hunted by a psychotic immortal-,"

"And Jeremy's back," interrupted Elena scooting even closer to Jeremy, listening closely as his heart beat softly. He was alive. Jeremy was home. "A miracle from our miracle witch, Bonnie Bennett. I'll never be able to thank you enough Bonnie," Elena said letting her emotions envelop her, not overwhelm her. Her humanity was back and with each passing day she was finding a way to cope with the power of each emotion, one of those emotions being relief that Bonnie's spell had worked and her brother was back from the dead. Her whole family circled together around the table except, "Where's Damon?"

Stefan nodded his head towards the bathroom. "Freshening up I believe," he told her nonchalantly. "I think dumping the coffin was more closure than any of us anticipated, he probably needs a moment. You know how sensitive he is."

Tyler let out a light laugh. "Sensitive? If you say so Stefan. He's probably more upset that by dumping the coffin, we'll never find out if those rumours of a cure were true or not. Fuck, a cure would've been nice."

There was a low murmur of agreement, a cure would have changed the game.

"Well," piped up Bonnie. "I'd take safety over a damn cure any day. Silas is gone. Klaus is down in New Orleans and Jeremy's home." Bonnie squeezed Jeremy's hand tightly; weeks without her Submissive had caused her pain. It was one thing to lose a loved one but when you lost your other piece, it hurt where Bonnie didn't even think it could hurt.

Jeremy grinned. "I can't believe I have air in my lungs. The Other Side, it's this feeling of emptiness and all I can say is that I'm really glad to be back in the land of the living."

"We're all glad buddy," Matt replied.

Stefan checked his watch, his lips pursing in concern. Damon had slipped away to "freshen up" over 10 minutes ago and that was not a good sign. Glancing around the room, Stefan instinctively counted the waitresses before pausing; Damon had stopped feeding on the help when he had started dating Elena.

Their breakup had been months ago. Turns out that their Dominant classifications didn't work when dating, just like it hadn't for Stefan and Elena and because of it their separation had been amicable. Stefan didn't doubt they still loved each other but a big component of relationships was whether or not your classifications were also compatible and rarely did it work when the couple both had the same classification. Stefan stole a brief glance at Tyler and Caroline, they were the rare coupled that worked.

The shitty thing about the breakup was that Stefan knew it wasn't because of their classifications. They had parted on that fact but truthfully, it had to do with a small thing Damon was hiding, something Stefan had only discovered recently and was now desperately getting Damon to accept.

"I'm just going to check on Damon," Stefan said his chair scrapping the floor when he stood. "Make sure he hasn't gotten himself into any trouble."

"Damon? Caroline rolled her eyes. "Good luck with that. Tell him to bring over whoever he's compelled to be his Submissive for the night so they can join us for shots. Shots Stefan!"

"Jesus Caroline," muttered Matt signalling their waiter over. "How in the hell am I meant to keep up with you guys? This is like, shot 8 or something."

Stefan left them to bicker as he made his way to the bathroom attempting to push open the door only to be met with resistance.

Stefan tried the handle watching it jiggle underneath his grip before letting go in frustration instead leaning into listen for any noise. Stefan tensed when heard the low sound of sniffles, he knew those sniffles anywhere. "Damon?"

His question was met with silence.

"Damon, I know you're in there. Open the door please so I can talk to you."

Again, silence.

"I know today, well the past few months, our lives basically have been rough but how am I meant to take care of you if you don't open the door?"

A small click.

"That's a good boy," said Stefan pushing open the door a frown forming at the sight before him. Locking the door so no prying eyes would see, Stefan walked over to Damon and put his hand gently on his lower back grounding him back to reality. "Hey buddy."

Damon was hunched over the sink, his hands clutching the countertop so tightly indentations were starting to form. His eyes were glossy and Stefan knew that Damon was barely holding on. Something must have triggered him soon after coming into the Grill but instead of escaping like he typically did, he had come to the bathroom instead.

Probably an attempt to clear his mind and push down his needs so he could go back and pretend he was okay. Damon wanted so desperately to be part of the group still not understanding that despite their initial, and completely rational, concerns about Damon, Damon was now one of them. Damon didn't understand that if he wasn't there, that was okay, they were his friends and he would be invited next time. If only Stefan could get him to understand that.

"How long do you have?" Stefan asked knowing that him even broaching the subject of Drop was taboo around Damon but his face was drained of colour and any moment he could collapse. Stefan wanted, no craved, to help.

"I-," Damon let out a low grunt his left knee buckling slightly as he tipped forward. "I-I didn't know it could get this bad."

"Damon," Stefan said a little more sternly now. "With how long you used to go between Drops, I thought you would recognise the signs. It's tough to help you when you hide your pain from me."

Damon groaned, his head barely shaking. "It's different now. Before, before you, it didn't matter how long between because of the suppressants. You asked me to stop taking them so I did and with everything going on, with Silas and a dead Jeremy and the fucking breakup, I just pushed it aside. I didn't mean too Tef, I swear."

Those fucking suppressants was how Stefan found out five years ago, after stumbling upon a drugged up Damon, that his older brother had been lying to him his whole life. Damon, his older and much stronger and charismatic brother; the one ladies swooned over and men feared, was not in fact a Dominant but instead a Submissive, and a Little at that.

Stefan had lived over a century. He watched as the understanding of classifications developed, how the world began to accept all classes but in the mid-1800s, a male Submissive was cause for hanging. Damon still didn't understand that that was no longer the case. 

150 odd years Damon had been suppressing his Little side ignoring the changes in society, ignoring the progress and acceptance of all classes. For Damon, it was easier to suppress his classification.

Suppressing was easier. Suppressing meant safety because in Damon's eyes, being a Little still was cause for death. A sin. Damon was a sinner. All because of his classification.

Stefan's nickname reserved for Drop had hims topping in closer until his hand rested on top of Damon's. "Damon," Stefan said knowing if he let his Caregiver side take over in the moment and let Damon Drop, Damon would never forgive him.

Dropping in public was normal. Actively and publicly allowing your classification to show was no longer taboo and yet Stefan knew Damon would rather die than be Little in public. Damon had seen others in Drop in public, had been there to help others, hell - had hung around Jeremy multiple times as he acted Little in front of his friends and still, Damon couldn't do it. Not yet, at least.

Damon couldn't be Little. He couldn't be anything but strong. Damon couldn't be seen. Unless it was for Stefan, Stefan could see.

Stefan would help, Stefan always knew what to do.

"Damon," Stefan repeated. "Stand up for me, now."

Damon whimpered, his back concaving even more. "I can't. 5 minutes," was all he managed to say.

"Can you make it home without me?" Stefan asked. "I'll be right behind but if I leave without saying goodbye, the others will worry."

"About you."

"And you."

Damon cursed loudly bringing his hand up to his mouth, he was going to vomit. He couldn't even vomit, what was this sensation. Why was this happening. "I'll make it, just take me out the back." 

Stefan nodded taking Damon's hand in his, unlocking the door and making sure the coast was clear before rushing him to the back door. "I'm right behind you," Stefan assured. "Your bedroom, five minutes, okay?"

Damon was gone in a blur and Stefan straightened himself up before heading back to the table. "Bad news guys, I've got to head home. Damon texted and said somethings up and he'd like my help figuring it out."

All eyes turned to him, the words 'something's up," a trigger for all.

"Does he-," began Caroline.

"Should we-," started Tyler.

"We're coming," Elena said firmly already reaching out to grab her coat. "One day is all I ask," she muttered.

"No, it's not what you think," Stefan said reassuringly. "We all are a paranoid bunch aren't we? No, there's flooding in the basement and this may surprise you but I do have sufficient plumbing knowledge and you know Damon, he's not the best handyman."

"Wait," interrupted Caroline. "I thought he was in the bathroom? Didn't you just go to check on him?"

Stefan dismissed her with a wave hating only momentarily the fact that even drunk, Caroline was so observant. "Yeah, he wasn't there obviously. Turns out he darted home to grab something and discovered the water. He texted whilst I was in the bathroom."

Caroline's skeptical gaze didn't waver but she relaxed a tiny bit. "Okay," she said crossing her arms. "But if I find out something terrible is happening over at the Salvatore residence, you bet your butt there will be consequences."

"I love when your Dominant sides flares," murmured Tyler affectionately. 

Caroline glared at him. "It wasn't intentional! I'm concerned is all."

"Thank you for your concern Caroline but it isn't needed. I'll see you guys later."

A chorus of "bye Stefan's," could be heard as Stefan turned his back and moments after exiting the entrance, he too was gone in a blur. It was time to take care of Damon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and please do leave your thoughts below! I always adore reading positive and constructive comments. 
> 
> Now, if your comments start with "This kind of makes me uncomfortable but I decided to read it anyway," or "I'm not really into this stuff but.." or anything along those lines please don't post it. I know this is not everybody's cup of tea and that's okay. This is my cup of tea so please, just enjoy the fanfic and leave a Kudos or two. 
> 
> Welcome to the fanfic, I hope you enjoy!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The general premise of the story FYI is how everyone finds out Damon is a little. Ooolala, enjoy!

Stefan knocked on the door relieved when the pressures of his knocks allowed it to swing slightly open. Giving it a firm push, Stefan opened the door only to be greeted with the sight of an empty room. "Damon?" Stefan's pulse began to race, a missing Damon was not a good thing. A missing Little Damon was even worse.

Stefan stepped further into the room pausing to listen for any sounds. Little Damon was terrible at staying quiet. Little Damon was also great at fleeing. Stefan stood stand still waiting for movement and letting out a massive sigh of relief when he heard the slightest of rustles in the closet. A favourite hiding place when Damon wanted to be alone but not inaccessible. 

"De?" Stefan whispered opening the the closet doors and crouching down his heart breaking at the sight, like it did every time Damon dropped. Until Stefan had discovered Damon's secret, Stefan had never seen Damon scared. Not once had he seen his older brother falter at his actions or show fear but the first night when he saw Damon Drop was when Stefan understood Damon hid it all.

His fear, his feelings of worthlessness, his terror of being hated, it all hung on his sleeve during Drop. Calm, cool, and fearless Damon showing his underbelly during Drop. Being a Little meant being taken care of and for Damon that meant showing his feelings and accepting help, something he found quite difficult to do.

Life had been tough for Stefan. His brother had hated him for so long, their momentary truces only that, momentary, and Stefan had carried the burden of loss with him for decades knowing Damon would never want him back in his life until he saw him Drop at the bar and everything changed.

Stefan in all his Caregiver glory needed to take care of Littles but had never felt comfortable doing so leaving this ache in his stomach for something he thought would never be filled. Then he discovered Damon was a Little and Stefan couldn't stay immune. Stefan had finally found someone to help, that wanted his help and that was how he got his brother back. From brothers, to enemies, back to brothers who this time, truly to took care of one another.

It broke Stefan's heart when Damon dropped. He had decades of pain to work through in his Drops and with how infrequent Damon did Drop, still so ashamed of his classification that he pushed them apart as far as he mentally could, made it harder to work through that suffering. Stefan knew the length between Drops was unhealthy, that if Damon was human he wouldn't have been able to repress his needs for that long but alas, Damon was a vampire and his Little side played by vampire rules. If only Stefan could get Damon to see that his classification was normal. That his Little side was okay and that people would love him regardless of it. Oh, if only.

Stefan's heart broke even further tonight at the sight of Damon, arms wrapped around his legs and knees tucked underneath his chin to make his body even smaller in the space. It was going to be a rough night. 

Damon had explained to Stefan on a particularly vulnerable night that this position was what he resorted to when the suppressants hadn't worked and he dropped. Small meant small. Small meant unnoticed. Small meant alive. A fucking position that Damon would revert to when feeling particularly vulnerable even though he now knew he was safe with his younger brother. Old habits died hard.

"Baby," whispered Stefan crouching so he could crawl next to Damon. "It's Stefan, I'm here."

Damon stayed still, the words washing over him in a haze. Of course Stefan was here, he said he would be and Stefan always did what he said but Damon had been particularly rude lately and that night could have been different. It all could have been a ploy to hurt him, he wasn't going to be fooled again.

Stefan wrapped his left arm around Damon tugging him close to his chest and letting out a small hum of contentment. It was in Stefan's DNA to protect, to care for others, and the feelings were amplified tenfold to be able to care for his brother. Damon needed love and all Stefan wanted was to make up for the years without him, without each other's friendship and love.

"I wish you would let yourself Drop when needed, not when it got this bad," Stefan said knowing and not hating he was hitting a sore spot. Damon was most receptive when Little and maybe one day Stefan's words would finally sink in. That Damon would finally understand it was okay to Drop and be his classification. "It is okay to be Little. It is okay you are Submissive. You are loved because of who you are Damon, not your classification."

These were phrases Stefan would mutter to him falling asleep, when in the bath, always wanting to remind him he is loved and accepted as a Little. A Little who with more frequent Drops would finally begin to understand that then moments like this would stop happening. Damon needed to stop pushing himself over the edge.

Damon stiffened at Stefan's words knowing he was partially right. Of course he needed to Drop more often but why should he? Barely anybody loved him and being a Little would only make it worse, if he asked for more love he knew he wouldn't get it. He still didn't understand why Stefan continued to give him his.

"How small are you feeling?" Stefan asked starting to trail his fingers up and down Damon's forearm in an attempt to engage Damon into responding. When Damon dropped, just like all Littles, he had a range and for Damon it was between 2-5, typically landing on 3 1/2. A Little with just enough independence they still required someone like Stefan to keep an eye out for them.

Damon's response was to burrow his body deeper into Stefan's and hold up three fingers and Stefan smiled relieved. Damon was response and that meant he was listening. 

"What a good boy," praised Stefan. "Listening to Stefan like the Damon I know. And the Damon I know probably would like some cuddles and his spider pajamas wouldn't he?" 

Stefan's voice had taken on a different tone. Instead of his sultry and demanding voice, it had transformed into one soft and soothing, a tone only reserved for Damon. It was Stefan's Caregiver voice and only Damon had ever heard it. Not even Lexi, despite her asking had been allowed to hear it.

For Stefan, his Caregiver voice was precious. Unlike others, Caroline in particular coming to mind, Stefan was overly cautious and never used it on others. He had been tempted twice both instances occurring with Jeremy; once when he handed him a toy police car and the other time when he had shown Stefan a drawing of him and his friends. Stefan had to restrain himself from using it and he was glad he had, it made it more impactful when he used it on Damon because Damon knew it was a voice of someone who cared. 

Stefan sat curled around Damon for a few more minutes before shifting and reopening the closet door. Damon had eased and Stefan knew it was okay to move. "C'mon De," said Stefan. "I think its time for your Jammies. You know what happened last time and I must admit I looked quite good in them. Do you want me to wear them again?"

Damon shifted so his eyes were peeking above his knees at Stefan with mock horror. How dare Stefan think he could wear his clothes. It was bad enough to see him steal his t-shirts, Italian pressed linens that cost a fortune but his spider pajamas from Target? No way in hell was that happening again. "You wouldn't," he whispered.

"I think you know I would," teased Stefan uncurling himself from Damon and crawling out of the closet. "And I think the outfit pairs nicely with a navy blue pacifier covered in Bourbon bottles if I recall." 

Damon's previous position fell away and so did his fears and pain that always came after Dropping his mind now wholly invested in the fact that Stefan might even use his pacifier. His! And it was his favourite one. "I don't think so!" he exclaimed clambering out of the closet to face Stefan. "That's mine and you know it!"

"Are you sure? I think I looked pretty cute in them."

Damon resisted the urge to stomp his foot instead crossing his arms in frustration. "No! Mine. I look better in them." 

Stefan gave him a smirk. "I dunno, didn't you leave them in my closet last time?"

Damon tensed, the back and forth banter now too much. Within a moment Damon's demeanour changed and his head dropped, hands clasped together. "I didn't mean too," he whispered. Rhonda had hated when he was messy. Messy meant punishments. Messy meant bad. "I'll clean it up, I swear."

"Wait," said Stefan grabbing Damon's arm and pulling him forward. Stefan gently lifted Damon's chin with his left thumb until their eyes locked together. "I am apologising Damon. The teasing was too much for you tonight and I should have known better. You are not a messy boy and you are not bad. Do you understand?" Sometimes Damon was in the mood to be teased and sometimes he wasn't, it was always a gamble Stefan took and tonight he lost. 

He had to be gentle with Damon never truly knowing when something would trigger him. Stefan only had bits and pieces of the story but it was his understanding that the one person Damon had allowed himself to be free with was Rhonda and Rhonda had turned out to be an abusive asshole. An abusive Dominant he found out that Katherine had convinced to watch over Damon, to "protect him" from others. 

That was the first thing Katherine had asked Damon after he discovered she was still alive, Damon relaying the moment only once to Stefan. All Katherine had to say after discovering Damon had killed Rhonda in her sleep years after being together was "Pity, I thought you two would get along." That was Damon's relationship with Dominants in a nutshell and was why Stefan had to tread carefully. They were still working on correcting Damon's preconceived notions of being a Little and it turns out Rhonda had instilled some bad habits in his Little. 

Damon averted his gaze at Stefan's words but nodded.

"I want to hear you say it."

Damon shook his head.

"Damon." Stefan's voice was stern, a power to be reckoned with and made Damon reconsider his initial reaction. Stefan only used that voice when he was scared or wanting Damon to listen to his words. Stefan was right, he always was and if he said that he wasn't messy or bad then he wasn't. At least he hoped so.

"I'm not messy. I'm not bad." Damon whispered pulling away from Stefan and perching himself on the end of his bed. "I-," Damon moved to say something and paused. "Can I have my pajamas please?' He asked instead.

"Of course. You did a wonderful job listening to me, thank you Damon."

Damon perked slightly at the praise, he had done a wonderful job. Maybe being messy was okay.

Stefan had been lying about the pajamas. Damon's Little clothes were in a secret dresser behind the one in the bedroom. Damon had gone to great lengths to hide his classification and that included decking out the house with Little paraphernalia all hidden behind secret passages and doorways, the only way to find them would be if Damon told you.

Pressing the button on the underside of the oak dresser, a slight whirring sound could be heard as the dresser rotated on the platform below to expose a white dresser with blue knobs. Stefan bent to open the bottom draw pulling out the pajamas he promised Damon before reaching into the top draw and pulling out a diaper. It was completely useless, they were vampires after all but after Damon let it slip that when he used to be human he struggled with continence with Little and the nonchalant shrug when Stefan asked if he wanted to wear diapers was all Stefan needed. Damon didn't need them but he did. They were a reinforcement mechanism to remind Damon that despite his vampirism, he still was Little and in Stefan's mind reminded Damon he deserved anything he wanted to fulfil that role and that included diapers.

Within no time at all Stefan had undressed Damon who had stopped being embarrassed by the intimacy years ago, the only thing Stefan was certain Damon had never been embarrassed about with being Little was the nudity. Damon could care less and he trusted Stefan with his whole heart otherwise Damon would not be lying on his back and letting his brother tape a diaper around his waist. Damon's thoughts wandered and contently sighed when the shirt was pulled over his head. He let out a small giggle when Stefan made octopus popping noises as he pulled his arms through the shirt quickly giving Stefan a hug before letting out a yawn.

Stefan revelled in the hug wishing it had lasted longer but with Damon, brief contact was positive. It was a sign of affection and Stefan would take whatever he could get. Damon had refused to hug him until three years into their unconventional situation and that was only after Stefan had continuously told him it was okay to hug, to squeeze, to find affection with others. Stefan had a sneaking suspicion that Damon had been forbidden from touching without permission and a brief hug meant Damon was learning.

Looking at the sight before him, Stefan wished he could take a photo. Damon was adorable standing there patiently with ruffled hair, a diaper bulge, and his black pajamas with green and blue spiders dotting the fabric. He looked cozy and warm and most of all - happy.

"Why don't you head to the living room and I'll meet you there with a bottle."

Damon walked around Stefan to grab the tattered bear off the dresser. "You won't be long?" He asked squeezing the bear tightly in his right arm.

"I promise I'll be there as fast as I can," Stefan replied pushing the button so the dressers swivelled back to their original placement.

Damon nodded, a promise from Stefan was a guarantee. "Be speedy quick," replied Damon. "I'm kindsa hungry." 

Stefan smiled and ruffled his hair. "Off you go young one, I'll be there soon."

Damon nodded rushing off to the living room. Not the ornate one with the massive fireplace but instead the one tucked away behind a book shelf with plush chairs and toys scattered all over the floor. 

A living room perfect for Damon thought Stefan as he watched his brother walk away. One hidden and secret, just like Damon. Stefan sighed as he went to make a bottle for Damon hoping one day Damon would be comfortable turning the home into one with more present Little qualities but until he accepted himself, Stefan would make do. He would do anything to protect his brother and that was final. 

Stefan filled up the bottle with two blood bags warming them up in the microwave to mimic human warmth before starting to head up the stairs. The sound of a doorbell stopped him in his tracks and he stiffened.

"Stefan?" A voice called from behind.


	3. Chapter 3

"Stefan," the voice repeated. "I can hear you through the door."

Stefan trudged tentatively down the steps, placing the bottle gently on the entryway table before cracking open the door shocked to come face to face with Bonnie. "Oh Bonnie, hello. What, what's going on?"

Bonnie knew Stefan's skepticism was warranted. He had only seen her thirty minutes ago and Bonnie typically didn't make social calls. "My Uncle is a plumber. He taught me how to fix pipes last summer, it was kind of a coping mechanism for us after losing Gramm's and I've gotten pretty good at fixing them. Plus, magic tends to fix things and I thought you'd maybe like some help."

"Thanks but Damon and I have it squared away. A gasket was loose, a simple fix really."

"Well, I can come and magic the water away. I doubt you want mould and rot in your already dingy basement, might ruin the ambiance slightly."

"I'll figure it out in the morning," Stefan replied internally smacking himself for his inability to lie. He had had decades of practice doing so and _fix it in the morning_ was a sign it hadn't stuck. He'd have to ask Damon for help thinking on his feet.

Bonnie made no move to turn away after his dismissal of her offer instead analyzing Stefan with a searching gaze. The silence was deafening and Stefan shifted, now uneasy with her presence. "Bonnie, what are you really doing here? Is everything all right?"

"You tell me Stefan," she replied her gaze now directly locked with his. "Is everything all right?"

Stefan's stomach knotted, what kind of vague crap was that. "All is fine. I can't even begin to describe the relief I feel that Silas is gone, Jeremy's alive, Elena's humanity is turned on, Tyler's home, and on and on. I can't think of a time when everything wasn't more fine."

Bonnie held his gaze and stayed silent. Stefan shifted again, her gaze was piercing and something felt wrong. Stefan internally screamed when he heard Damon's voice from the stairwell faintly call his name, this conversation was quickly turning disastrous.

Stefan slipped further in front of the crack now blocking Bonnie's view completely and instead gave her a confident smile. "Anything else? Otherwise I'd like to get back to deflooding the basement."

Bonnie pursed her lips and let out an exasperated sigh. "God, you two are as dense as bricks."

"What?"

"I know Stefan, okay? I'm an all powerful being not to mention a Caregiver too. When Jeremy was gone," Bonnie paused trying to muster up the courage to describe the pain. If anyone would understand, it would be Stefan. "When Jeremy died, I lost myself inside. I didn't understand how deep a classification bond was until it broke. It's like these walls begin to crumble from within your insides and that the air inside your lungs deflates until you're left feeling nothing but ruin. I thought that maybe if I had someone else that understands that bond, someone to talk to about the pain and loss then maybe, maybe it wouldn't have hurt as much. Or maybe it would have, I don't know."

Bonnie was done bottling up her emotions and keeping secrets. She was tired of having the weight of the world on her shoulders and talking to Stefan felt like a weight was being lifted off of them. "It got me thinking that with everything we've gone through that it's time we are honest with each other because that way, we can help each other. We can work through this pain. We're all hurting. Me. You. Stefan. Damon. Everyone I love and I'm tired of it. Jeremy coming back to life made me realize I want more. I want to be free and I want my friends to be free. And none of us can do that until we are honest. Do you get what I'm saying?"

Stefan was dumbfounded. If Bonnie was suggesting honesty, to the two people Stefan believed she liked least then she knew. A Caregiver's instinct meant to take care of all and Jeremy's death must have awakened something in her for her to finally speak up but if Bonnie knew, who else knew and more importantly, what would Damon say?

Stefan felt a rush of wind as the door was pulled roughly open, Damon filling the space where the door used to be dressed in his earlier outfit, not his spider pajamas. Stefan knew Damon could pull himself from Drop but it had been so long since he had seen it happen that he forget he could. The transition afterwards was going to be rough, Stefan could feel Damon barely holding himself together.

"Okay bitch. Oops, I meant witch," spat out Damon. The one way to push people away, to keep them off the scent was to be cruel. Cruelness covered up everything and cruelness was Damon's speciality and best defense mechanism. "What I'm hearing is that Jeremy's death hurt. Boo, it was sad to see the munchkin go and then yay, he's alive again. Yippee and nooo, someone else I love is in pain and what can I do? Miss little Bonnie Bennett, trying to fix everything when nothing is broken. Jeremy's back sweetheart, maybe go and try that on somebody who actually cares. You can run along now."

The vile in Damon's tone was evident and Stefan resisted an urge to put an arm on Damon's shoulder to stop him. It wasn't Stefan's right to discipline Damon out of Drop but Stefan hated how easily Damon slipped into the monster role, how quick it was for him to push others away. It was not healthy but more importantly, it terrified Stefan the ends Damon would go to when he tried to protect himself from pain.

The speech didn't phase Bonnie already mentally prepared for a typical Damon lashing, a common sign in Submissive's who didn't know how to work through their emotions and one Bonnie should have picked up on a lot earlier. "I know you are a Little. And I'm telling you now, you don't need to pretend you're not. Not for me, not for anyone. I'm tired of this shit, we've been through so much that I think it's time we're free, that we actually get live our lives filled with happiness. Don't you want that? Don't you want to be openly Little?"

"Is Jeremy that lonely you're trying to force someone to be his playmate? Go fuck yourself," snarled Damon.

"I heard you tell Klaus," blurted out Bonnie.

\--- _flashback_ \---

He dragged the knife lazily up Damon's back stopping randomly to watch the blade pierce his skin with sweet satisfaction. Klaus didn't necessarily adore torture but he did adore getting what he wanted and Klaus always got what he wanted. "How many stakes are there? You won't like me if I have to ask again."

It took everything in him to not respond, the vervain almost out of his system. Damon focused his attention instead on the searing pain coming from his wrists, the spikes digging so deep they grazed against his bone every time he shifted. All he had to do was focus on the pain, pain was controllable. If he could feel the pain then he could ignore everything else around him. Damon hissed involuntarily as he felt the knife jerk deeply into his back. 

Rebekah's voice sounded underwater to Damon, the words "alone and wait," the only ones penetrating the surface and without warning Klaus's presence was gone. Damon collapsed, the chains the only thing holding him up. The only thing keeping him sane was the knowledge Stefan would find him, Damon knew Stefan wouldn't leave him and he prayed Stefan knew the same. 

An hour passed. Then another, Damon now floating between consciousness and Drop, a slippery place to be when being tortured by an Original. 

The pain was sudden and Damon screamed as he felt his arm break under Klaus's touch. "For fuck's sake, I don't know how many," cried Damon the pain triggering him deeply, his body begging to Drop, to let itself be protected. 

"Sorry love but that's not the answer I'm looking for," said Klaus with his typical drawl standing to face Damon directly, his own face creasing for a moment when he took sight of Damon. His flushed skin, his sunken back - all typical of torture but his face, it mirrored the one Rebekah wore moments before she dropped. Klaus internally groaned, here he was with the impression Damon Salvatore was a Dominant, torturing based on that information and the face before him screamed otherwise. Klaus pursed his lips, collecting himself as he thought over his options. Getting information out of a Submissive required a different type of torture and he had set up this session to get information out of a Dominant. All of this work unnecessary and Klaus huffed, hours wasted because Rebekah had lied to him. 

"Rebekah," Klaus called slipping the knife into his belt and gliding towards her. Klaus found her standing guard outside the room Bonnie was practicing magic in and gestured wildly towards her. "What is this?" 

"What do you mean? You asked me to watch her?" 

"No, I asked you to help me find the stakes and behold, instead you are providing me with false information about our captive. What else could you be lying about dear sister?" 

Rebekah looked at him indignantly, "What are you talking about Klaus? Damon knows where the stakes are, you are the one who took my plaything with the threat that a Submissive torturing a Dominant wouldn't be as effective as a Dominant torturing a Dominant. I can't control whether or not he's stronger than you in that regard."

"But Rebekah darling, he's not a Dominant." 

Rebekah stood up straighter repeating her question. "What are you talking about Klaus?" 

Klaus jerked his head towards the hallway leading them back to where Damon was slumped over with a now glazed look on his face. "Do you see that?" Klaus asked.

Rebekah crossed her arms and shrugged. "All I see is a piss poor attempt to obtain information from someone Klaus. He's almost asleep!"

"Rebekah, that is not the sign of someone almost asleep. That's the sign of someone close to Drop, this is what you look like right before you Drop."

Rebekah huffed in indignation. "Are you telling me I look hideous, in a state of catatonia, right before I Drop? How dare you Klaus." 

"No darling sister, you at least look prettier but it is the same face. We are now in a position which you lied to me, how can I trust you if you keep on lying?" Klaus was tired of them lying, always putting others over him, Rebekah once again proving he knew best. 

"Everybody I talked to said Damon was a Dominant. Even Stefan back in the 1930s said he was a Dominant. Do you think having grown up with him, having existed with him for over a century that his own brother would not know his true classification? I didn't lie to you Klaus! I told you the truth, I swear." 

Klaus relaxed slightly, misinformed was infinitely better than lying. "Thank you Rebekah," was Klaus's response dismissing her back towards the door. He wouldn't apologize for his mistake but he wouldn't also get upset at hers. 

"All you have to do is trust Klaus," muttered Rebekah turning on her heel and strutting out of the room. "I hope they dagger you," she called from behind and Klaus rolled his eyes shifting his attention back to Damon. 

"Let's see here," contemplated Klaus back in his initial position and facing Damon. "What type of Submissive are you Damon? What would you respond to best, hmm?" 

Klaus trailed his finger slowly up Damon's chest before gripping him firmly around the face and pushing Damon's gaze upwards until it met his. "Let's see if the vervain has worn off. How many stakes are there Damon?" 

Damon gave him a sadistic smile and spat in his face. "I already told you Klaus, I-I don't know." 

A waiver in his voice and Klaus grinned in triumph. A waiver that he could use to his advantage. Straightening himself to full height he looked Damon directly in the eyes putting all of his Dominant and Original powers to full throttle, "Drop for me Damon. Now." 

The power of the words washed over Damon seeping into his bones pulling his repressed needs to the forefront and there was nothing Damon could do to stop it. It was one thing to avoid compulsion, it was another to deny the strongest Dominant known to man and the compulsion simultaneously. Klaus hadn't used his Dominant side before because he assumed Damon would be immune but a Submissive, that was a different story. 

"Drop," the voice repeated and Damon's eyes glazed over momentarily and Klaus was then met with an innocence he had never seen before. "Damon?" 

"It hurts," whispered Damon tears already pooling in his eyes. "I-I, no wanna be hurt, please." 

Klaus dropped his hand in surprise and took a step back. For all the Submissive classifications for Damon Salvatore to be, Little was not the one Klaus would have chosen. Another wrench in his plan; Klaus wasn't going to torture a Little, they wouldn't respond to torture like the other Submissive classifications, Klaus literally would be torturing an innocent. 

"Fucking hell," he muttered. "How many stakes Damon?" 

Damon looked at him and whimpered unable to resist Klaus's question anymore. "12," he whispered before starting to unabashedly cry. They were going to punish him, not Klaus but Stefan and Elena now that he had given up their secret. Always failing when others needed him, that was Damon's specialty. 

Klaus pursed his lips reaching up and unclasping the first chain and then the second, letting Damon collapse into his arms without a second thought. Klaus had gotten what he wanted and he would find those stakes but in that moment, all he could feel was his Dominant instincts take over, he couldn't watch another moment as Damon, goddam Damon, suffered.

"I think this has been enough," Klaus said to him hoping his voice was registering through the sobbing. "I am going to call Stefan," and that was met with another wave of tears. 

With one hand, Klaus supported Damon and with the other he pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed Stefan's number.

"Where's Damon?" Stefan's voice was harsh through the speaker and Klaus rolled his eyes. Always protective of each other those two were - oh, always protective of each other those two were. How obvious it was now that Klaus knew Damon was a Little, how obtuse he had been to their situation, how easily the blood on the tiles could have been avoided if Klaus had taken a moment to observe.

"Damon's with me," Klaus began, "and that's where he will stay until I have 12 White Oak stakes in my hand."

"I swear Klaus, if you hurt him-," 

"Don't worry a pretty hair on your head Stefan. Torture has long past. I would hurry if I were you, both of us know it's not healthy to leave a Submissive alone, especially if its the one you care for. I wonder what other types of secrets Damon will reveal the longer I don't have those stakes Stefan."

The line was silent and yet Klaus knew Stefan hadn't hung up. "I can get you 8." Stefan's voice sounded defeated, "in exchange for Damon." 

"Sorry chap but eight is still four short of 12. I think Damon will stay with me for a little longer, he does look so serene when he cries."

"I don't know where the other four are. Eight for Damon and I'll get you the other four, you have my word." 

"Hmmm, better hurry before I change my mind Mr. Salvatore. If you aren't here within the hour, eight will no longer be enough, understood?" 

"Fine. I'll be there and god, just don't touch him okay?" 

"Don't worry Stefan, I've had enough practice to know how to take care of a Little. One hour, don't be late." With that, the line went dead. 

"Damon," Klaus said leading him to another room and sitting both of them down on the couch. "Stefan will be here in an hour, then we are done. Understood?"

Damon didn't even look at Klaus, the crying have subsided. One hour until Stefan could yell at him for ruining their plan. Damon tucked his knees into his chest and rested his head on them not registering that as he did so, his left thumb slid its way into his mouth. At least his wrists no longer hurt. 

Together they sat in silence, both parties still until footsteps were heard almost exactly one hour later and Stefan came rushing into the room. At the sight of Damon, Stefan recoiled. 

Klaus moved towards the bag in Stefan's hand and Damon moved more tightly into himself. 

"He's all yours," Klaus said gracefully snatching the bag from Stefan's hand. "If you don't have the rest for me by the end of the week, I will kill you and make Damon watch - understood?" 

Stefan acknowledge Klaus with only a brief nod before rushing to Damon's side. How could Stefan do his best to protect him if messed up things like this kept on happening. "Baby?" Stefan asked, "It's me." 

Bonnie watched with wide eyes from her hidey hole, now that was a development. Klaus's voice had her slipping away from the scene and back to where he had sanctioned her in the house. This whole day had been a shit show, she prayed it would all be over soon.

\--- _flashback_ \----

"Months ago when you were chained up, I saw. I suspected you weren't telling the whole truth about your classification but when Stefan called you baby, I knew. Tonight was the breaking point for me, all of us hanging out around the table without you or Stefan. It made me realize the only reason you two were gone was because of your secret; you're hurting yourself because of it. You have allies in all of us Damon, yes even me and you shouldn't need to make up stories about pipes breaking to fulfill your requirements. I think with everything we've been through, our support is guaranteed. Just let yourself be please, so that you don't hurt yourself like Jeremy did when he denied it and that - please Damon, I'm asking you to be free. I may not be Elena who has a heart willing to look deeper into everyone but I am willing to try, only if you are. If you are ready for a relationship built on trust, so am I."

Bonnie finally removed her arms from behind her back producing a small stuffed velvet bunny rabbit. "It's a peace offering," she said holding it out to Damon.

Damon reached out and tentatively plucked the bunny from her hands, rolling it over in his own surprised by the softness of it. Oh how badly he wanted to cuddle up to it. "A peace offering?" He questioned. "This is what I think of your peace offering," and in moments Bonnie was holding the bunny's severed head in her hand.

"Goodnight Bonnie."

All Bonnie was trying to do was help, she was exhausted of being everybody's punching bag, what right did Damon have to rip the head off. "Do you think that was an appropriate reaction young man? That was a naughty thing you did just then." 

Damon's eyes flickered to Stefan's, his demeanor shifting ever so subtly. Bonnie had just used her Caregiver voice on him and having pulled himself from Drop so abruptly made him feel he was slipping fast. Bonnie had called him naughty, his friend thought he was naughty. Damon involuntarily shut his eyes attempting to block out everything and everyone he was seeing. His head was starting to spin and his knuckled were turning white around the door.

"Damon," Stefan said gently placing his hand on Damon's shoulders before turning to Bonnie anger evident on his face. 

"We get it Bonnie, you know. We understand but it's going to take a while to receive or even accept it but that was messed up you." Stefan gestured towards Damon's now pale and lifeless figure, "He isn't Jeremy Bonnie-," Stefan tapered off. How badly he wanted to sit Bonnie down and explain everything, he craved an ally in this life. Being a Caregiver was tough in general but being a Supernatural Caregiver was even tougher and having a witch to talk things through with sounded like a delight but not unless Damon was okay with it and Stefan doubted he would be. Stefan would always put Damon's needs first.

"Shit," she said looking at Damon in surprise. She hadn't known that one sentence would trigger him so quickly. She had come here with a purpose of opening herself up, that the option to navigate this complicated world together was viable and she had somehow made it worse. Damon was pained, she hadn't meant to sharpen the knives in him. "I didn't know," was all bonnie could muster.

"Can you leave?" Damon's voice was quiet and when his blue eyes briefly made contact with Bonnie's they immediately flickered downwards. Naughty boys don't make eye contact with Dominants until they've been punished. 

"I'm sorry Damon," she said taking the other half of the bunny from his hands and concentrating for a moment. Placing the now fixed bunny back in Damon's hands she took a step back from the doorway. "A reminder that I accept your classification and that if you're willing, I think it's time we start helping each other. I won't tell a soul until you're ready. One text and I'm here," she said before mouthing the words sorry again and retreating from the steps. She had one goal of showing she wanted to be an ally and somehow she had gone and fucked it up. Bonnie wasn't even halfway to her car before the sound of crying echoed down the drive and she internally cringed, she had wanted to help and instead had messed it up further. 

Taking in a deep breath within the confines of her car, Bonnie sent a quick text to both Stefan and Damon _Sorry. I am here if you want._ Bonnie slid her phone into her pocket and started up the car knowing that they'd read it later and hoped they would understand. They were all in this together and it was time for everyone to be accepted, somebody had to knock on the door.


End file.
